Tree holder



C. A. BOUC TREE HOLDER May '3, 1949.

Filed Aug. 26, 1947 I N V EN TOR. 9720 rles @Bouo, M,

Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TREE HOLDER Charles A. Bouc, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 26, 1947, Serial No. 770,67?

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved holder for elongated objects and more particularly to a device for mounting and retaining Christmas trees and other elongated objects in upright vertical position.

One object of the invention is to provide a holder of the above type which possesses a high degree of stability, is readily folded to a compact condition for storage, and is economical to construct.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the above type in which the tree-receiving socket is maintained in elevated position above the floor level by means of a plurality of retractable legs,

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for clamping the legs of a holder of the above type in extended tree-supporting position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the drawing and the accompanying description thereof.

Fig. l is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of one form of the device showing the legs in exmnded position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the holder showing the legs in folded or retracted position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the bottom of the device showing the legs in extended position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line li of Fig, 1 and having portions thereof in elevation. In this view, the dotted lines indicate the outline of a tree trunk being held in upright position.

The holder comprises generally a tree-receiving socket member, a plurality of elongated legs adapted to swing outwardly from a retracted position to an extended socket member-supporting position, an impaling spike extending upwardly through the bottom of the socket member, and a clamping means engaging the opposite end of said spike for releasably retaining the legs in extended position. The socket member is preferably prismatic in shape and may be formed from a polygonal base, a correspondingly polygonal upper frame having a central opening therein, and elongated side braces secured at their opposite ends to said base and said frame.

In the form of the device shown in the drawing for illustrative purposes, the socket member has a rectangular base portion 5 and a. rectangular upper frame 9 having a central opening therein for receiving a Christmas tree or other elongated object. A pair of elongated, laterally spaced side braces B is affixed to said frame 9 and said base 5 at each of their four edges as by screws l8. A centering or aligning screw l6 projects inwardly from each side of the rectangular frame 9 and is movable inwardly and outwardly for engaging and vertically aligning the trunk of a tree 22 as shown more clearly in Fig. 4.

An elongated leg 6 is provided at each side of the rectangular base 5 and is pivotally or swingably secured, as by a pivot pin 'l, between adjacent members of each pair of side braces 8 at the lower ends of the latter which extend downwardly below the base 5. In retracted or folded position, the legs 6 are disposed vertically between the adjacent members of each pair of side braces 8, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, and the entire folded assembly is not substantially larger than the socket member itself thereby facilitating ease and convenience in storing the device. When it is desired to employ the device for supporting a tree or other elongated object, the legs 6 are swung outwardly to the radially extended position shown particularly in Fig. l. The resultant relatively wide spread of the legs E imparts a high degree of stability to the holder. When the legs 6 are moved into extended socket member-supporting position, the end portions M of the legs 8 swing inwardly beneath the under surface of the base 5 and are received by slotted portions or recesses 20 in the under surface of the base member 5. The upper surfaces of the inner ends i l of the legs 6 are slanted or tapered slightly as shown at I9 in Fig. 4 in order to impart an outwardly and downwardly slanting position to the legs 6 whereby the base member 5 is maintained in an elevated position above the floor level and the legs 6 contact the floor level only at their outer ends. Obviously, the slanting eifect could also be obtained by providing appropriately slanted recesses in the under surface of the base 5 instead of tapering the inner ends of the legs 6 as shown at [9. In other words, the abutting surfaces of the base member 5 and the inner ends M of the legs 6 are arranged to co-act to provide the desired degree of slanting. This slanting arrangement of the legs 6 serves to provide the necessary clearance above the floor level for the clampin means, hereinafter described, and also imparts a certain amount of spring or resiliency to the legs thereby facilitating alignment of the device on uneven surfaces.

A threaded spike i I for impaling a tree or other elongated object is mounted vertically and centrally in the base 5 by means of an upper retaining nut I2, washers l 3, and a lower retaining nut 2| fitted into an appropriate recess in the under surface of the base 5. The threaded shank or stem of the spike H extends downwardly below the base 5 and engages a threaded clamping member such as wing nut Hi. The inner ends M of the legs 6 are chamfered or beveled at the corners as shown at I! in order to permit all of the ends I4 of the legs 6 to be received in abutting relationship and to nest closely about the downwardly extending; shank of? the spike lit seen moreclearly in-Fig: 3. A retainingwasher [-5 is mounted on the threaded lower end of the spike II and is adapted to overlie the extended inner ends [4 of the legs 6, the latter thereby be ing releasably held by means of the wing nut If" in clamped position in the recesses previdedsin.

the under surface of the base! Although the socket member has been shown in this embodiment of the invention as reetangu-,--.

'described.in: the specification, it should: be: un'-.

derstood: that variousamodifieations and equiva+ lents may-bee substituted "withouttdeparting from the scopeioi'the-invention.

Iiclairn:

l; A-zlroldezc for elongated-.obiectsisuch as trees, cemprising aso'cket: member adapted. to;-receive am elongatedi objiect,. said'zsocket member having aiupoliygpnaiibase portion. and a .pluralitysof' latera'l-ly spaceeh. elongated: side'= members secured ta: the".v peripheral. edges: of. said. polygon-a1 base poatiom and; extending upwardly therefrorrr;; a spike having itsrpointediend extending. upwardly through said; base" portion: for.- impaling said. ob.- jeet' and havingiitsopposite endzextendirigzbelow said: base portion, a plurality-"ofv legs pivotally mounted adjacent; the peripherale edges t'off said polygonal base portion and: adapted to': project outwardly in extended SDCKEtFmBmbBI' supporting position and swingabl etupwardly tozaretracts ed" substantially vertical position,v each ofsaid legssbei-ng" disposed; between adjacent:side mem bers when in said retraoted:positionlandisaidlegs also having end portions projecting inwardly belbw said base portion: adjacent said'opposite end of saidspike whensaid legs are imsaid :t'ended" socket-member supporting. position; and clamping; means engaging said opposite: end."- of said spike -for releasably retaining said; endpmrtiens-againstthe under: surface oi. said baSEi pUF- tion:

2 A holtlerfor elengated objectssuclizastrees,

comprising a base, a. frame having; a. central.

opening torecei-hve an elongatedi object; a. pim- 4 rality of side members rigidly secured at their upper ends to said frame and at their lower ends to the peripheral edges of said base and having portions extending downwardly below said base, a spike having its pointed end extending upwardly through said base for impaling said elongated object and having its opposite end extending below said base, a plurality of legs pivotally secured to said side members at the downwardly ext'endiiigyporti'ons of the latter; said legs being adapted to project outwardly" from" said base when in extended position and to fold upwardly adjacent said side members when in retracted 'f ppsiti'on, said legs also having end portions projecting inwardly below said base when the legs are: irrextended position, and clamping means operativelss engaging said opposite end of said spike for releasably retaining said end portions oi sai'd" legs against the under surface of said base.

32... A. trees holder: comprising: azbasehavhigi recessediportions iirits under-surface; airamerhaw ing': a central thereim-tox receive at: tree; a plurality; oi centering. screws r projecting. ine wardly from said frame for engagingziandzvertiealalya' aligning; saict tree; side: members: secured atir theirruppen" 'endsito i-said frame ands at their lower: endsr toathe peripheral edgespf saidzbase amt having: portions extending-:ydpwnwardly be;- low said base, a threaded spike mounted centrally in; base: and": having its: pointed; end. projecting' upwardly through; said base its impal'ing saidltreezandi havingiiitsi threaded end extending downwardiy 'lc'ielew said: base; a plurality" oi: elemgated legs swingably secured to the downwardly extendingrportionssofi saidiside members; said legs hemg-iswingableato an extendedrpositionziri the legs protectoutward'ly/from said base: and foldable upwardly to a retracted position in said legs are disposed adjacent saidzsidewmembers; said legs: also. having end:: portions: pro vided? with: beveiedi corners and? adapted E to: proinwardly below said base adjacent: said threaded endi of 'sald spikewhen said legs are'vin extended position and saidi end portions also being providedi tapered upper surfaces-re- REFERENCES CITED;

Tillie. following, references are. of. record in the file off. this. patent:

Number I Name Bate b94391 Silverman Nov; 30;.189'7 672,705" I-Iall'adayj Apr; 23; 1'901 117211980 Warden July '23; 1929 2; 159,760- E'itzgeraldi; May-23 I939 

